This invention relates generally to automobiles and more particularly to devices which dissuade theft of the automobile.
Theft of automobiles is on the rise and the easiest place for a thief to gain access to a locking mechanism is through the lock cylinder. Typically an automobile's door or trunk has an opening which is used to contain the activator mechanism/lock cylinder to the lock mechanism inside the door or trunk. The activator mechanism, by necessity, requires a hole in the door or trunk. Through this hole, a pry bar such as a screw-driver, is inserted and the interior locking mechanism is accessed.
Recognition of this weakness in the security of an automobile has been around for many years; numerous devices have been developed which attempt to cure this deficiency.
One such device is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,368, entitled "Automobile Trunk Lock Guard" issued to Solow on Jul. 10, 1979. This device provides a security plate which surrounds the lock cylinder. The plate is secured to the vehicle through the use of metal screws.
The use of metal screws requires added complexity in the installation process and also is not aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, the apparatus is unsuitable for a handle situation since the added plate's thickness disrupts the dimensional requirements for the handle to reach the interior locking mechanism.
Another attempt to provide additional security is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,223, entitled "Guard For Key Cylinder" issued to Oliver on Jul. 23, 1985. This apparatus is a metal plate which bolts around the outside surface to protect the key cylinder. Again, the use of bolts are required and the plate is inoperative with a factory built handle.
In both of these situations, strength for the security plate is accomplished by expanding the thickness of the generally flat plate. This additional thickness prevents a thief from buckling or deforming the security plate; but, the added thickness also requires the use of a replacement handle as the factory installed handle is no longer able to reach the door's locking mechanism properly.
Recognizing that the less disruptive a device is to the existing automobile, the more likely the device is to be used, U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,123, entitled "Guard Plate and Method for Automobile Door Handle" issued to Hill on Oct. 28, 1986, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,016, entitled "Automobile Handle Guard Plate" issued to Hill on Jan. 5, 1993, were developed.
The Hill apparatus utilizes the existing door handle and places a security plate between the handle and the automobile door. No drilling or exterior screws were needed and all of the existing parts on the automobile still interact with each other.
In certain situations though, the Hill security plate, being substantially a flat metal plate, could be bent or deformed by an aggressive thief and thereby permit access to the interior locking mechanism.
It is clear that there is a need for additional security at the activator mechanism.